Spectacle case



NW. 131, Mam. wnmw S. J. TAYLOR SPE'CTACLE CASE Filed June 8, .1922

- wrf/vroe fa/m/e/ Kay/0r drra /vfr Patented Nov. H, 1924.

earner SAMUEL 3'. TAYLOR, 0F NkEW YORK, N. Y.

SPECTAGLE ASE.

- Application filed June 8, 1922. Serial No. 566,703.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL J. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United State, residing at New York city, borough ,ofBronx, in the county of Bronx and Stateof New York, have invented a certain new' and. useful Spectacle Case, of which the following is a specification. v This invention is a spectacle case and, more particularly, a case having associated therewith retaining means to preclude'the loss of the case out of a pocket. It is very common for persons when stooping or bending over to lose spectacle cases from coat or vest pockets and the present invention provides simple and efficient means for securing thecase to the pocket in such manner as to preclude inadvertent displacement therefrom.

It has heretofore been suggested to associate with spectacle cases spring tongues adapted to grip the edge of the pocket to hold the case in position, but my experience with these devices has been that the spring tongues soon become bent 'in such manner as to fail to properly grip the pocket and have the further disadvantage of requiring the use of both hands in adjusting the case in the pocket.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and economical construction which may be manipulated with one hand, will more firmly grip the pocket than the prior devices, and will not be apt to become bent or distorted in such manner as to render it inoperative.

In its preferred practical form, the spectacle case of this invention is provided on either the front or back thereof with a lever pivotally associated intermediate its ends with the case and so constituted that one end of the lever is adapted to constitute a gripping jaw while the other end of the lever is operable as a finger piece. A spring is associated with the lever at its fulcrum and serves to force the gripping jaw in the direction of the case. Said gripping jaw may, however, be retracted by pressure applied to the finger piece. This construction permits of the case being readily slipped into the pocket, while one of the fingers of the hand which is introducing the case into the pocket may be employed to retract the gripping jaw so that when the case is in the pocket the gripping jaw will overlie the upper edge of the pocket. When the hand is removed from the case the jaw is simultaneously released and the spring causes said jaw to tightly grip the pocket .and retain the case against inadvertent displacement therefrom. While in the preferred form the lever is pivoted permanently upon the case, I may, if so desire, pivot the lever upon a spring support adapted to resiliently grip the case for the purpose of mounting the lever thereon.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a face view of one end of a spectacle case showing a modified form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6--6' of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a face view of one of the elements of the construction shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a spectacle case comprising a body 2 and a hinge cover 3. In practice, the spectacle case may be of any desired form or shape without departing from this invention.

In accordance with the present invention, I pivotally mount on either the front or back of thecase a lever 4, which lever is fulcrumed intermediate its ends to the case. In the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4, the lever is provided intermediate its ends with juxtaposed ears 5 at its lateral edges which are adapted to cooperate with cars 6 on the attaching plate 7. A pin 8 extends from the ears of both the plate and lever for the purpose of mounting the lever on the plate. The plate in turn is provided with longitudinal slots 9 through which bolts 10, extending through perforations in the wall of the case, are adapted to be passed and receive beyond the plate nuts 11 for the purpose of firmly binding the attaching plate to the ltd case. The slots 10 permit of longitudinal adjustment of the attaching plate to compensate for pockets of difierent depths and also to enable the attaching plate to be fixed to the case in the position desired.

One arm or end 12 of the lever 1 is adapted to constitute a. gripping jaw while the other end 13 serves the purpose of a finger piece and a spring 14 coiled about the pin 8 upon the lever is adapted to normally force the gripping jaw in the direction of the case but permits said jaw to be retracted through pressure applied to the finger piece 13. lln practice, the gripping jaw 12 is of such length as to preferably extend beyond the corresponding end of the attaching plate I and to normally engage the face of the case on which it is mounted, as best shown in Figure 2..

When it is desired to position a case constructed as described in a pocket, the case may be so gripped in one hand that oneof the fingers will engage with the finger piece 13 and, as the case is slipped into the pocket, slight pressure is applied to the finger piece for the purpose of tilting the lever in the dotted line position of Figure 2 so that, when the case comes to rest in the pocket, the gripping jaw 12 will overlie the top edge of the pocket. 1f the finger piece is now released, the spring 14: will force the gripping jaw 12 to tightly grip the outer wall of the pocket between said jaw and the wall of the case and, if desired, the free end of said jaw may be serrated so as to give a more positive grip. In order that the case may slip easily into the pocket, the lower edge of the attaching plate is preferably beveled as shown at 15 so that the top edge of the pocket will not catch upon this plate. The case may be placed in a pocket in the manner described by the use of one hand and without holding the pocket with the other hand as is required in all prior constructions. The gripping jaw is preferably made relatively long so that it will not only grip the pocket at the free end of the jaw but will also have a more or less surface engagement therewith. In practice, the lower nut 11 is found to assist in gripping the pocket so that the case will be firmly held in position and cannot fall out of the pocket even though the pocket is inverted.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings illustrate a modified form of the invention, wherein the attaching plate 7, which corresponds to the plate 7, instead of being bolted to the case, is constructed of resilient material and provided with spring fingers 11. The attaching plate 7* is made somewhat longer than the plate 7 and is bent in such manner that it may be detachably slipped over one end of the cover 3 so that the main body of the plate 7* will overlie the outer face of the cover while the spring fingers 11 will overlie the inner face of the cover and said attaching member will conform to the curves of the cover as shown best in Figure 6.

The resilient properties of the attaching member shown in Figure 7 will firmly main- I tain said member in place upon the cover, but 1 preferably provide said attaching member with sharp projections 16 and 17, the latter of which are adapted to engage with the lining 18 of the cover, while the former of which is adapted to engage with the covering 19 ofthe cover. These projections 16 and 17 preferably face in a rearward direction so that the attaching member may be readily slipped onto the cover but will be locked against removal by the sharp pointed projections which, in practice, may be stamped up from the material from which they are formed. The lever 43, which corresponds to the lever 4c, is pivoted on a pin 8" mounted on ears 6 associated with the attaching member 7 and a spring 14) operates in the same manner as the spring 1% and for the same purpose.

The advantage of the modified construction shown in Figures 5, 6 and 'Z' is that it can be applied to any spectacle case with ease and dispatch and without the necessity of employing tools.

In the foregoing ll have set forth in detail the preferred constructions of the present invention. ll am aware, however, that said constructions may be modified without departing from the invention, as by the substitution of equivalents. the ears 6 which are shown as formed on the attaching plate may, if desired, be stamped up from, and thus made integral with, the wall of the case. 1B or these reasons, the invention is to be understood as not restricted i to the specific showing of the drawings, but as broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims. Moreover, the case, while specifically described as a spectacle case, may be a case for holding articles other than spectacles.

Having thus fully described the invention, what ll claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a case, an attach ing plate provided with slots extending longitudinally thereof, attaching members extending through the slots of the plate and through the wall of the case to attach the plate to the case'and permit of longitudinal adjustmentof the plate on the case to compensate for garment pockets of difl'erent depths, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the attaching plate, one arm of the lever constituting a gripping jaw and the other For example,

arm of the lever constituting a finger piece and a spring for normally forcing the-gripping }aw in the direction of the case.

2. he combination of a case provided with a cover having a lining, an attaching plate adapted to overlie and bear against the exterior of the cover of the case and provided with resilient gripping fingers adapted to reach over the edge of the cover and engage with the inner face of the cover of the case to hold the attaching plate in position, spurs on said fingers adapted to him iii pale the lining of the case to maintain the plate against inadvertent displacement, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the attaching plate, one arm of the lever constituting a gripping jaw and the other arm of the lever constitutin a finger piece and a spring for normally orcing the gripping jaw in the direction of the case.

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

SAMUEL J TAYLOR. 

